Atomizer



R. G. CHENEY Dec. 18, 1962 ATOMIZER Filed July l0, 1961 INVENTOR. RALF/l 6. CHIENEY BY Array/yf rs United States Patent Ohlce hhii'? Ententes! Dec. 18, 1962 assess? ATMIZER Ralph G. Cheney, 4239 24th Ave. W., Seattle, Wash. Fiied .Iuly It), 11961, Ser. No, llbjll is enanas. (ci. Z39-sse) This invention relates to an atomizer such as is used for the supplying vof a liquid medicant in the form of a fog or mist of droplets for the relief of nasal or bronchial congestion, asthmaVand the like, or which may be employed in hospitals for administration of antibiotics or other medicants.

Such atomizers are presently made primarily `of molded plastic, and it is an object of the present invention to make such an atomizer of that material, but formed as a number of separable parts whereby it may be readily opened, separated, and cleaned, yet made in av form which is readily reassembled in operative relationship, and in which when parts are thus assembled the several working parts are automatically accurately positioned and related one to another, for best operation.

Such atomizers function by reason of discharge from an inner nozzle within a shell of a gaseous vehicle, such as air, an aerosol, oxygen from a pressure container, etc., past the end of a capillary passage, to entrain liquid medicant contained within the shell, into which the opposite end of the capillary passage dips, and to discharge the rnedicant, after breaking it up into ne droplets, with the gaseous vehicle through an outer nozzle or discharge tube and so into the mouth or nasal passages of the user. Atmospheric air projected by a hand bulb has sometimes been the gaseous vehicle used. The user by squeezing the bulb a number of times is enabled to discharge atmospheric air under some slight pressure, and this entrains a quantity of the medicant for discharge with the air. This produces an intermittent discharge, whereas sometimes a constant discharge is preferable, or a discharge coordinated with the rhythm of breathing'. Moreover, the work entailed by repeated squeezing of such a` bulb may quickly tire a user already `weakened by his disability, wherefore a pressure source that does not require continuing effort on the part of the user is preferable.

It has beenlproposed to employ an aerosol container as such pressure source, but in devices of that type which are `known to me there have been certain objections, (l) that the containers valve must be opened by a rocking motion, and this is not easy to sustain nor to control and regulate, and (2) that the aerosol is discharged directly into the shell and thence into the mouth or nostrils of the user as liquid drops, since it has insuicient opportunity to vaporize appreciably, and thisis undesirable.. As a result such atomizers are not used presently. It has also been proposed to employ oxygen discharging continuously from a pressure container as the pressure source, the user inbreathing the oxygen and the medicant, and exhaling into the atomizer and thence into a balloon or into the atmosphere, but such installations are only suitable for hospital use, and are often wasteful of rather expensive medicants.

@ne of the objects Vof this invention is to provide an atomizer which bypreference uses an aerosol container as the 'pressure source, for continuous discharge, yet capable of control in a very simple manner vand with a minimum of effort, to start or stop the discharge, or to regulate the amount thereof. At the same time the discharge of the aerosol is by way of labyrinthine passages of such nature, and in which are incorporated one or more expansion chambers, thatfull Vaporization of the liquid aerosol is assured before its discharge into the shell, and before it can reach the user. The atomizer of this invention can be used with a hand bulb or with an oxygen tank, and is of such construction that when so used it will function correctly notwithstanding rather wide departure from the normal upright attitude of use. When used with an areosol container the latter is readily operatively assembled in relation to the atomizer proper, and is moved by simple mechanism into and from the valve-open or discharge position, with the useV of a minimum of force by the user.

In connection with the labyrinthine passage mentioned, it is an object to form the same in such a way that all its parts may be readily accessible for cleaning, by disassembling its constituent parts, which parts will Vautomatically fall into correct relationship to other parts when reassembled, and in which, regardless of the attitude of the atomizer, there is a capillary passage leading to its discharge end, in the vicinity of the inner discharge nozzle, from its entrance end within the liquid space within the shell.

It is advantageous in such atomizers to provide for the discharge with the gaseous vehicle and the droplets of medicant of a considerable volume of secondary air, so that the medicant is Well distributed and carried to the surfaces where it is to act, and in particular this is desirable where the vehicle is originally in liquid form and changes to a gaseous form, for this will economiz'e in the use of the vehicle. It is a further object to provide an atomizer of this general type in which despite the closure of the wall of the shell that defines the liquid space opposite the outer discharge nozzle (in or adjacent which Wall secondary air has heretofore been admitted), secondary respectively by the numerals I and 2,.

air can be admitted without danger of spilling of the liquid medicant, for entrainment and discharge with the vehicle and the droplets of medicant. Y

It is a still further object, in an atomizer of the type last mentioned, to provide means whereby the discharge nozzle can be closed, and to a suflicient degree stopped to avoid leakage of liquid when the atomizer is carried in the pocket or purse, and not in use.

These and other objects will become more fully apparent as this description progresses.

The invention comprises the novel atomizer and the novel combination and arrangement of the several parts thereof relative to one another, as shown in the accompanying drawings in representative forms, and as will be more fully described hereinafter and defined in the claims.

FIGURE l is an isometric view Vof the atomizer assembled and ready for use (although in use it should be held more or less upright), but partly broken away in ses* tion to illustrate the interior.

FIGURE 2 is lan axial sectional view of the atomizer (again, in a horizontal position rather than upright for use) showing certain parts in alternative positions in dot-dash lines.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view substantially at the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and FIGURE 4 is a crosssectional View substantially at the line 4--4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded isometric view of certain ringrnounted elements in the interior of the atomizer.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing a hand-bulb operated atomizer instead of the pressurized liquid vehicle form of the preceding figures.

' The atomizer proper in its preferred form comprises in general an inner and a spaced outer shell, designated These are separable and are held in assembled relationship by a cap 20 which threads on the outer shell and engages the end of the inner shell 1, urging its opposite end against an inwardly projecting end lt of an outer discharge nozzle or tubular sleeve l1. A disk 12, which in effect constitutes an inner wall of the inner shell 1 opposite the sleeve 11, is prefern ably formed separately from the two shells and is held in place between the cap Zt? and the inner ends of the shells 1 and 2. The reason for employing two shells,

rather than a single shell such as has been used heretofore, will appear hereinafter.

An inner nozzle 13, disposed centrally of the disk 12 and in a stud 14 that projects from this disk, constitutes the outlet for a gaseous vehicle into the interior of the inner shell 1. A capillary tube which at one end dips into the liquid space within the inner shell 1, and at its opposite end terminates just ahead of the inner nozzle 13, enables the discharge from the nozzle 13 to entrain liquid medicant contained within the shell 1. Details of the construction of the capillary passage will be described later. A tube 3 is slidably guided for axial movement within sleeve 11, but is spaced radially therefrom. The outer nozzle 11 and the tube 3 should be open when operation of the device is intended, but otherwise this opening should be closed and stoppered, to prevent loss of the liquid contained within the inner shell. The axial sliding movement of tube 3 within the sleeve 11, and the seating of its outer flange 32 upon the outer end of tube 1G accomplishes this. Tube 3 is open at its inner end in line with the discharge from the inner nozzle 13, and in the preferred form has a lateral opening 3@ for discharge of the medicant laterally when the atomizer is held upright, and an inclined deiiector wall 31 to direct the discharging medicant through the lateral opening 30. If the tubular member 3 is moved outwardly to the full line position of FGURE 2, the nozzle is freely open for discharge through the openingT 30, but if the member 3 is moved inwardly to the dot-dash line position of FIGURE Sthe opening 355 is closed, and in addition the outer end 32 of the tubular member 3 has closed and stoppered the outer end of the nozzle 11.

There is a space 33 between the tubular nozzle element 3 and the iixed outer nozzle 11. This space is provided for admission of secondary air into the space 21 between the shells 1 and 2, with which the space 33 communicates. Thereby secondary air. is admitted through the apertures 1S through the inner shell 1 to the interior of the inner shell, behind or adjacent the inner nozzle 13, for entrainment by suction and discharge with the vehicle and medicant dis-charging through the tubular element 3, supplementing the volume of the vehicle.

It is not essential that the outer discharge nozzle incorporate a slidable nozzle element, and such a form lacking the movable element is shown in FIGURE 6. Here the element 3 constitutes an integral part of the inner shell 1, although it is still spaced from the nozzle element 11 to provide the passage 33 for intake of secondary air. In this form the discharge need not be deflected laterally but is shown as projected in the direction axially of the nozzle 13.

As has been stated, in the preferred form of the atomizer the vehicle for entraining the medicant liquid is a liquid under pressure which changes to a gaseous form when released from its exteriorly located pressurized container. For example, the vehicle may be an aerosol contained within a container 4 which has a hollow valve stern projecting at one end, normally spring-held outwardly but when depressed capable of permitting discharge from the container 4. The atomizer is so arranged that the container 4 is received Within an exterior receptacle 5 which positions the valve stem 40 in alignment with the entrance 6i) of a discharge passage that leads eventually to the inner discharge nozzle 13. The opposite end of the container 4 is engaged by a toe 50 upon a slidable element 51 guided within the receptacle 5, and is engaged at its end opposite the toe by a linger 52 upon a discharge lever 53 pivoted at 54 upon the receptacle 5. When the lever S3 is depressed or rotated clockwise, as viewed in FGURE 2, the toe 50 urges the receptacle 4 to the left, and so depresses its valve stem at 40 for discharge from the interior'of the container. The extent of opening of the valve is easily regulated. When the lever 53 is released the spring associated with the valve stem 40 returns parts to closed position. For carrying, the lever 53 may be i swung to the dot-dash line position of FIGURE 2, where a detent 55 upon the receptacle will engage a detent 56 upon the lever, and thus the lever will be held in the dotdash line position of FiGURE 2 where it is unlikely to be depressed for discharge accidentally.

An aerosol such as it is preferred be used requires expansion chambers and impingement of the liquid on solid surfaces to break it up and cause its change to a gaseous form, particularly if the change of phase must be accomplished in a short distance. Accordingly the passage intermediate the entrance 60 and the exit 13 of the passage means in the atomizer includes one or more expansion chambers, certain other elements dening a labyrinthine passage, and similar provisions, all insuring the break-up of the liquid aerosol. For example, a passage 61 leads trom the entrance 60 to a chamber 63 which is in effect a flat expansion chamber intermediate the cap 20 and the disk 12. ln this chamber each of the disk 13 and the cap 29 are preferably formed with bafes 23 and 66 respectively, the baffles 23 extending inwardly almost to a stud 24 in which the entrance 69 and passage 61 are formed, and the bafes 66 extending outwardly from the stud 24 almost to the outer wall of the cap 20, so thgt cooperatively they deiine a labyrinthine passage for the gas. i .l l t The gas is discharged from the chamber 63 through a passage 64 which may consist of a groove in the exterior of the stud 24, and so into a second expansion chamber 26 intermediate the stud 24 and a cooperating fitting of the disk 12 that contains the inner discharge nozzle 13. By the passage means thus formed the discharging aerosol is conveyed from the entrance 6G to the inner discharge nozzle 13, and is changed to a gas by the time it is discharged thence.

From the discharge nozzle 13 the gaseous vehicle flows past the exit of a capillary passage which will now be described. Preferably there are outer and inner cooperating ring-mounted elements, the outer element 7 including the ring and the inner element 8 including the ring 80. The ring 3G fits upon the boss 14 of the cap 12, and the ring 7i? ts the ring 80 and surrounds the latter. Each of these elements 7 and 8 may incorporate a part of the capillary passage, the ring having an arm 81 formed with a -groove 82 and the element 7 having an arm 71 which fits closely over the arm 81 and in effect seals the capillary groove 82 of the latter. The groove, of course, might be on the arm 71 instead of on the arm 81, or it could be on both thereof. In addition, the arm 71 is provided with an impingement body 72 in the form, for example, of a ball, directly in line with the discharge from the capillary tube, to break up the droplets of the medicant liquid by impingement to form a tine mist or fog before the medicant is discharged through the outer nozzle. The capillary passage, in the preferred form, also includes an annular groove 83 intermediate the rings 80 and 70, and axially directed but angularly distributed grooves 84 leading thereto from the liquid space, whatever may be the rotated position of the atomizers nozzle 30 about the axis of the atomizer during discharge, so long as the atomizer is reasonably upright. By the intertting of the rings 7G, 86 and the boss 14, all these parts are positioned in proper operative relationship to each other and to other parts such as the inner discharge nozzle 13 and the outer discharge nozzle 11. In the form of the atomizer shown in FIGURES l to 5 the axis of the atomizer will be generally upright during use, and the discharge will be lateral. In the form shown in FIGURE 6 however the atomizer can have its axis oriented generally horizontally during use. In this latter form the gaseous pressure vehicle is air supplied by means of a hand bulb 4', and since this does not need any expansion chambers to gasify it the hand bulb 4 is connected directly to the entrance 60 and the latter directly to the inner nozzle 13. Nevertheless the use of the outer and inner ring elements 7 and S is a convenience, particularly for cleaning the atomizer, for all parts are accessible upon unscrewing the end cap 20. Reassembly automatically locates all parts in position of use.

It will be understood that a medicant liquid in fairly small quantity will be placed within the inner shell 1, and the entrance to the capillary passage will dip into the liquid space when the atomizer is ready for use, with the atomizer held generally upright. In the form shown in FIGURES l to 5 the entrance to the capillary space which is defined by one of the axial grooves 34 will always dip into the liquid space, so that it is immaterial how the parts are oriented interiorly or" the shells at the time of discharge. Pressure upon the lever 53 lifts the container 4, and effects discharge of the liquid under pressure into the entrance at 60, and it iinds its way through the labyrinthine passages and expansion chamber or chambers to the inner discharge nozzle at 13, by which time it is thoroughly gasiied. Discharging past the upper end of the capillary passage it entrans some of the liquid medicant, discharges it against the impingement member 72, and finally it exits through the outer nozzle. Secondary air is caused to enter by way of the passage 33., and eventually reaches the inner shell, behind the discharge from the inner nozzle, by which it is entrained, to exit with the medicant and its vehicle. When the container 4 is exhausted it is a simple matter to remove the receptacle 5 and to substitute a lfull container. This can be done, for example, by means of dogs 57 which are a part of but resiliently connected to the receptacle E, and which can be urged inwardly for release by the pressure knobs 57', which fingers engage complemental retention elements Z9 of the cap 2t). Two such dogs 57 at opposite sides of the receptacle are adequate. When it is desired to clean the interior of the atomizer the receptacle 5 is removed, then the cap 20, and then the inner shell 1 can be lifted out, the ring mounted elements 7 and 8 each removed, and all parts and passages are then exposed and easily accessible for cleaning.

I claim as my invention:

1. An atomizer comprising an inner shell delining a liquid space for reception of a medicant liquid, an outer shell spaced about said inner shell to deiine an annular air space, an outer discharge nozzle for communication between the interior of the inner shell and the exterior of the outer shell, for discharge of the medicant and a gaseous vehicle for the same, an inner nozzle within the inner shell, the discharge from which exits through said outer nozzle, means to discharge a gaseous vehicle through said inner nozzle, means within the inner shell and operatively positioned relative to the liquid space and to the inner nozzle to entrain the liquid medicant and to discharge it with the gaseous vehicle through said outer nozzle, said outer shell having an entrance admitting to the air space between shells, and said inner shell having an entrance to its interior from such inter-shell air space, for admission of secondary air by way of said entrance in the outer shell, and said air space, for discharge withv the medicant, as a supplement to the gaseous vehicle, through said outer nozzle.

2. An atomizer comprising an inner shell deiining a liquid space for reception of a liquid, an outer shell spaced about said inner shell to dene an annular air space, a tubular opening througha wall of the outer shell for admission of air to the space between the shells, and the inner shell having an opening aligned with said tubular opening, an outer discharge nozzle leading through and spaced Within said tubular opening, for discharge of a rnedicant and a vehicle through the same and through the aligned opening in the inner shell, from the interior of the inner shell to the exterior of the atomizer, an inner nozzle defining an inner gas discharge nozzle, and located within the inner shell for discharge of a gaseous vehicle, means within the inner shell and operatively positioned relative to said inner gas discharge nozzle to entrain liquid medicant from a supply within the liquid space within the inner shell for discharge in a vaporized form from the outer nozzle with such vehicle, means operable at will to discharge gas through said inner nozzle, and apertures in the inner shell for admission from the air space of secondary air entering between the outer nozzle and the tubular opening, and continuing through the air space between the shells, to the interior of the inner shell for discharge with the vaporized medicant and its gaseous vehicle, through the outer nozzle.

3. An atomizer as in claim 2, wherein the apertures in the inner shell are located in the vicinity of the inner nozzle, whereby the secondary air is entrained by suction behind the discharge from said inner nozzle.

4. An atomizer as in claim 2, wherein the outer discharge nozzle is separate from and shiftable relative to the shells between an open position for discharge, and a closed position to block discharge of gas, and to prevent spilling of liquid medicant from the inner shell.

5. An atomizer as in claim 4, wherein the separate outer discharge nozzle is movable axially of the tubular opening, and is formed with a lateral exit in a side wall, below its outer end, a deliector within said outer discharge nozzle to deflect axially movable gases laterally through said exit, said outer discharge nozzle being formed at its outer end as a stopper titting and closing the outer end of the tubular opening, when retracted.

6. An atomizer comprising a shell dening a liquid space for reception of a medicant liquid, and having an outlet aperture in its wall, a separate tubular outer discharge nozzle leading through said outlet aperture in the wall of said shell for discharge of the medicant and a gaseous vehicle for the same, the outer nozzle being guided for axial movement in said outlet aperture, an inner nozzle within said shell and directed so as to discharge through said outer nozzle, means to discharge a gaseous vehicle through said inner nozzle, means within the shell and operatively positioned relative to the liquid space and to the inner nozzle to entrain the liquid medicant and to dischage it with the gaseous vehicle through said outer nozzle, said outer nozzle having a lateral outlet in a wall, inwardly of its outer end, whereby said outlet is closed when the separate outer nozzle is largely retracted within the shell, and is open for lateral discharge when the outer nozzle is protruded and the atomizer is held vertically.

7. An atomizer as in claim 6, including means which define an air passage which extends from the outer nozzle, and closed thereby when such nozzle is retracted, to the interior of the shell, for entrance of secondary air when the nozzle is protruded, for discharge with the medicant and its vehicle through the outer nozzle.

8. An atomizer comprising a shell defining a liquid space for reception of a medicant liquid, an outer nozzle affording a passage for discharge of the medicant and a gaseous vehicle from the interior of the shell to the exterior, an

inner nozzle within the shell and directed at one end so asl to discharge through said outer nozzle, passage means in said shell affording communication between said inner nozzle and the exterior of said shell, means within the shell and operatively positioned relative to the liquid space and to the inner nozzle to entrain the liquid and to discharge it through the outer nozzle, a receptacle exteriorly of the shell to support a pressurized container for such vehicle in position for axial movement only, which container has a hollow valve stern protruding axially at one end and depressible-to open it, and when so supported having its stem aligned with that end of said passage means which is exteriorly of the shell, means guided in said receptacle for movement axially thereof, said means having an element disposed to engage the opposite end of said container, and means located adjacent the other end to shift said means and the container axially Within the receptacle towards the containers valved end, thereby to depress and open the valve stern, for discharge of the vehicle through said passage means and the communicating inner nozzle.

9. An atomizer as in claim 8, wherein the shifting means includes a lever pivotally mounted upon the receptacle, and the guided means includes a slide engaged by said lever and guided for movement lengthwise of the receptacle, and the guided means being formed with a lug at its opposite end for engagement beneath the end of the container.

10. An atomizer as in claim 9, including detent means interengageable between the lever and the receptacle, to retain the lever yieldably in inoperative position alongside the receptacle.

11. An atomizer as in claim 8, wherein the receptacle is separate from the shell, and resilient snaps on one thereof engage with detents on the other, to removably retain the receptacle and its container in operative position relative to one another.

12. An atomizer as in claim 11, wherein the resilient snaps extend lengthwise of the receptacle and terminate adjacent its shell-contacting end, the shell having ledges positioned to engage said snaps.

13. An atomizer comprising a two-part shell defining a liquid space for reception of a medicant liquid, an outer nozzle affording an outlet for discharge of the medicant and a gaseous vehicle from the interior of the shell to the exterior, said shell having an interior surface opposite and disposed transversely to the axis of said outer nozzle, a fitting overlying and spaced from said sur-face to define therebetween a chamber, means to mount said fitting removably in such operative position, the shell having a first passage from its exterior to the interior of said chamber, an interior nozzle projecting from said fitting towards the outer nozzle, and the fitting and shell together defining a second passage from the interior of said chamber to said interior nozzle, cooperating bafiies formed on the fitting and said interior surface of the shell, to define a labyrinthine passage intermediate the first and second passages, means within the shell operatively positioned relative to the liquid space and to the interior nozzle to entrain liquid in the discharge of gas from the interior nozzle, for discharge through the outer nozzle, and means to supply an eventually gaseous vehicle through the first passage7 the labryinthine passage, the second passage, and the interior nozzle, as a vehicle for the medicant.

14. An atomizer as in claim 13, including a stud projecting from said interior surface of the shell, the fitting being socketed to fit said stud, for support of the fitting in its operative position.

15. An atomizer comprising a two-part shell defining a liquid space for reception of a medicant liquid, an outer nozzle affording an outlet for discharge of the medicant and a gaseous vehicle from the interior of the shell to the exterior, a centralized stud projecting towards said outer nozzle, said stud having a gas-discharge passage defining an inner nozzle directed towards the outer nozzle, an inner ring-inounted element and an outer ringmounted element cooperating to define a capillary passage leading from the liquid space to a point in line with the discharge from said inner nozzle, when the parts are assembled in operative relationship, the ring of the inner element fitting removably upon said stud, and the ring of the outer element fitting removably upon said ring of the inner element, and means to supply a vehicle through said gas-discharge passage, eventually discharging through said inner nozzle as a gas under pressure, to entrain the liquid medicant.

16. An atomizer as in claim 15, including means located intermediate the source of the vehicle and the inner nozzle, and defining expansion chambers for conversion of a liquid vehicle under pressure into a gas before its discharge at the inner nozzle.

17. An atomizer as in claim 15, including an impingement body carried by said outer ring, and supported in line with the discharge from the inner nozzle, when parts are in their operative relationship, to break up the liquid into the form of a mist, prior to its discharge from the outer nozzle.

18. In an atomizer of the character described, in combination with a shell defining a liquid space for liquid medicant, and an outer nozzle leading from said space, a stud having a gas-discharge passage defining an inner nozzle, an inner ring-mounted element fitting upon said stud and an outer ring-mounted element fitting in turn upon said inner ring-mounted element, the two elements being cooperatively formed to define a collector groove circumferentially between the rings, a discharge passage leading from said groove to a discharge point in line with said inner nozzle, and access passages distributed angularly about and leading to said groove and in all positions of the atomizer affording communication between said groove and the liquid medicant space within the shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,406,997 Curry Sept. 3, 1946 2,586,845 McKinnon Feb. 26, 1952 2,726,896 McKinnon Dec. 13, 1955 2,906,463 Curry Sept. 29, 1959 2,951,644 Mahon et al Sept. 6, 1960 2,966,283 Darvie Dec. 27, 1960 3,018,971 `Cheney Jan. 30, 1962 

